A simplified user interface (SUI) is an illustration of a software interface that reduces irrelevant information to abstract shapes to create a "stylised but instantly recognisable image" that conveys the contextually important details. [1]
Similar in look to wireframes, SUIs have uses in marketing, [1] user onboarding (for instance by Slack [2] and Google Analytics [3]), and technical communication. [4] [5]
As well as improving the speed and clarity of communication, for those creating documentation SUIs offer a degree of future-proofing against incremental changes to the interface, [1] and aid the translation of documents into other languages. [6]
(Originally published as 'SUI: revolutionising graphic effects', Communicator, Summer 2019, Institute of Scientific and Technical Communicators (ISTC).)
A simplified user interface (SUI) is an illustration of a software interface that reduces irrelevant information to abstract shapes to create a "stylised but instantly recognisable image" that conveys the contextually important details. [1]
Similar in look to wireframes, SUIs have uses in marketing, [1] user onboarding (for instance by Slack [2] and Google Analytics [3]), and technical communication. [4] [5]
As well as improving the speed and clarity of communication, for those creating documentation SUIs offer a degree of future-proofing against incremental changes to the interface, [1] and aid the translation of documents into other languages. [6]
(Originally published as 'SUI: revolutionising graphic effects', Communicator, Summer 2019, Institute of Scientific and Technical Communicators (ISTC).)